Africa needs to draw lessons from the California court decision to allow gay marriage

In May, the Supreme Court in the American state of California ruled that  same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. With this decision, the court struck down two state legislations that limited marriages to unions between a man and a woman. This ruling makes California, the second state in the US after Massachusettes to allow gay marriage. While delivering the judgment, Chief Justice Ronald M. George noted that "In view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship, the California constitution must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples" Yet again, a court of law has affirmed that gay marriage is a human right.

The decision of the California court is coming up at a time the issue of homosexuality and gay marriage has divided the Anglican Communion worldwide mainly due to the conservative stance of most African bishops. This ruling is coming up at a time of heated debate and controversy over same-sex marriage in Nigeria and Africa. Homosexuality is illegal in most African countries. There has been a clamp down on gay rights in Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Zimbabwe etc.

NGOs are critical to the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa

The emergence of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is one of the greatest developments in the defense, protection and promotion of human rights in Africa I realized this in May when I traveled to represent the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) at the 41 st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) in Accra Ghana. ACHPR meet twice every year to assess the state of human rights in Africa especially how state parties are fulfilling their obligations and commitments under the African Charter on Human and People's Rights.

Usually part of the Session is devoted to hearing reports and statements by state parties, human rights institutions, intergovernmental and non governmental organizations involved in human rights protection and promotion in the region.

Early in this 21st century, I think Africa is in dire need of a New Enlightenment in order conquer poverty and underdevelopment, and realize a civilisation with a global dimension

http://www.independentngonline.com/?c=92&a=23595

The Enlightenment stands for the intellectual trends in 18th century Europe that espoused the use of reason and science as a universal method for obtaining knowledge and solving human problems. The Enlightenment writers argued that the light of reason and science could free humanity from the darkness of ignorance, the burden of false beliefs, and the destructive influence of prejudices and superstition. They believed in liberty, equality, secular society, democracy and in the potential of education, science and technology transforming the human condition - reducing poverty, misery and diseases.

In my ongoing efforts to generate grassroots involvement in  creating a better vision for development in Africa, I am passing this along: (remaining text from the Call for Abstracts)

I wasn't aware that Nigerian courts had ordered Royal Dutch Shell to compensate ethnic Ijaws in the Niger Delta, but they had. And Monday, Shell deliberately missed their deadline, choosing instead to withhold payment pending review by an appellate court.

(Photo The New York Times)

In my last article on this topic, I reintroduced KIVA and showed how 1.) what they do really can help create successful small businesses in East Africa and how those businesses help the community in which they exist, and 2.) how our efforts on the blogsphere have helped KIVA become so successful that they cannot keep up with the outpouring of help. But they are also bringing on the businesses in need of loans faster than ever, so jeep checking back. Congratulations to all who are making this such a success.

In this diary I want to reiterate the context in which KIVA works and how we also have to help that context. This will partly be a reiteration of diaries I have written before, explaining why I am calling for an "integrated" approach to development that we in the blogsphere can participate in. This is my vision of how you and I can change the world from the bottom up.

It has been one of my little projects to develop within the blogsphere what I call an integrated approach to helping East Africa as a new vision for international development that can be applied anywhere the blogsphere wants to focus on. This approach was inspired by the wonderful efforts of KIVA, a microlending agency that connects small businesses with small investors like you and me. My intention has been to build on the idea of KIVA, creating an integrated context in which KIVA's efforts will be all the more effective. I will reiterate that contextual approach. But first, I think it is good to show just how successful our efforts can really be.

On the same morning, I can be both infuriated with my public radio station -- as when they parrot administration talking points on the port sale -- and tremendously grateful that they still get my $40.  This morning, I was grateful, because if it wasn't for NPR, I would have never heard about the film, Darwin's Nightmare, and I would have never learned this both fascinating and repellent story of people, exploitation, and a very hungry fish.

How weird is this story? Here's what so astonished filmmaker Hubert Sauper:

I witnessed... the bizarre juxtaposition of two gigantic airplanes, both bursting with food. The first cargo jet brought 45 tons of yellow peas from America to feed the refugees in the nearby UN camps. The second plane took off for the European Union, weighted with 50 tons of fresh fish.

In the most recent State of the Union address, Bush urged members of Congress

...to serve the interests of America by showing the compassion of America.

Since this followed on a paragraph that mentioned the problems of AIDS and malaria, many took this as aimed at the health crisis in Africa.  But it's a huge step back from where Bush has gone in the past.

In the 2003 SOTU, Bush dedicated the middle section of his talk to the discussion of AIDS in Africa and finished with this statement.

I ask the Congress to commit $15 billion over the next five years, including nearly $10 billion in new money, to turn the tide against AIDS in the most afflicted nations of Africa and the Caribbean.

Why was Bush so explicit back then and not today?  Well, likely because he never followed up on delivering the aid that he promised.

But there's a better question: why does Africa need our help in the first place?

Update [2006-1-8 19:14:27 by mole333]:I received a personal request from KIVA. They are looking for ways of expanding their efforts but they need help. Our efforts on their behalf have been so successful, they are having a hard time keeping up with the strong interest in their work and they are looking for more partner organizations. Here is their request. If anyone knows of any groups that can help them, let me know and I will pass the info along:

Kiva is currently expanding by signing up partners to work with us in Africa and beyond. We are looking for organizations who conduct lending to the poor and have the flexibility to blog and post pictures online. If you know of any such organizations, let me know.